All Better
by BertaS
Summary: An altercation during Occlumency lessons may have sweeping repercussions for Harry and Severus. A submission to the Severus *sighs* Third Anniversary Challenge although I'm not sure it answers any of the prompts. Beta by Selkie. Warnings: Fifth year – AU – Not HBP or DH compliant – Pre-Slash – May be considered Chan with Harry being 15 – A few bad words - rated 'M' just to be safe.


**Title**: All Better

**Author**: **bertas**

**Date Written**: Sept. 2011

**Pairing**: None

**Rating**: PG

**Word** **Count**: 2400 +-

**Summary**: An altercation during Occlumency lessons may have sweeping repercussions for Harry and Severus. A submission to the Severus *sighs* Third Anniversary Challenge although I'm not sure it answers any of the prompts. Beta by Selkie.

**Warnings**: Fifth year – AU – Not HBP or DH compliant – Pre-Slash – May be considered Chan with Harry being 15 – A few bad words

**Disclaimer**: I don't own them and, sadly, make no money from them.

**All Better**

Harry Potter was quite unhappy with how his occlumency lessons were progressing. It seemed to him that Snape was making it harder than it need be, refusing to explain anything, then ridiculing him for his failures.

He'd also had an encounter with the ugly pink toad woman on his way to his next lesson with Snape and was now in a horrible frame of mind for dealing with the Potions Master.

When Snape tore into him about not practicing, Harry suddenly snapped and charged the Professor with an inarticulate yell. They were both surprised when he was able to pin Snape to the wall. Harry's wand was pointed at Snape's head while his other hand curled tightly around the man's throat.

"Potter, have you gone mad?" Snape snarled as he tried to drag the boy's hand from his throat to ease his breathing.

Harry glared as he growled, "Probably." He then pushed his wand tight against Snape's temple.

Snape gasped out, "You don't have the guts, Potter."

With a snort Harry whispered, "Legilimens."

Despite the tight grip partially blocking his airway Snape inhaled sharply as the boy slammed into his shields. He instantly realized that Potter either was not looking for anything specific or didn't have the focus to know what he wanted. Thus Harry was only seeing what Snape kept in his 'public' mind.

Snape quickly threw the boy out with a whispered, "Pathetic."

Harry was looking at him intently and said, "Show me. Legilimens."

Snape actually grunted as the boy hit his shields even harder than the first time. He was perplexed as to what the boy wanted to see. He quickly shoved the brat out, only to have to almost immediately do it again and again.

What amazed Snape was that the spell was increasing in strength and would soon break through his outer shields. He had the feeling that with proper focus, Potter could strip his mind bare, and quite frankly, that thought both thrilled and terrified him.

As his outer shields crumbled, Snape finally realized what Potter wanted.

Harry knew something was different this time: he had felt something give, and he was seeing more detailed snippets of memories instead of what seemed to be repetitive snapshots of daily routine. Snape hadn't immediately pushed him out and, deliberately allowed a longer memory to play out.

Snape pulled a memory of meditation to the forefront of his mind before clearing away everything and repairing his shields. He then gently pushed Harry from his mind.

Severus now found himself sitting on the floor with his fifteen year old Occlumency student on his lap. He had no inclination at present to ponder how he had ended up beneath the young man.

Harry was staring at him with something akin to awe before he leaned forward and laid his head on Severus shoulder. "Thank you." Harry said softly, and then he let out an exhausted exhalation that almost sounded like a sob.

Not knowing what else to do, Severus awkwardly patted the boy on the back.

They sat like that for a few moments.

Severus stifled a yawn and said softly, "You should probably go now, Potter. Meditate as I have shown you before sleeping."

Harry sighed as he backed away from his Professor. He blushed when he looked up, not sure how he'd wound up straddling the man's lap. He suddenly went very still, his eyes going wide.

Severus frowned as Harry raised his hand and pushed the hair away from the Potions Master's face.

Severus winced slightly wondering if the boy had bruised him with the tip of his wand. Both of his eye brows rose in surprise when Harry spoke quietly, "You're bleeding."

As Harry raised his wand Severus scowled and tried to pull away. "It's okay Professor." the boy said. "We've been studying simple healing spells in Charms class this past week. I'm pretty good at them."

Severus snorted, under normal circumstances he would never allow a student to _practice _any spell on him, but this once; he just held his hair back and closed his eyes. He heard Harry say the proper charm, and felt Harry's magic dance across his skin. Then there were lips gently pressed to his temple and the boy murmured, "All better."

Severus' eyes flew open and he let out a small 'ah' of surprise as he felt a massive surge of magic slam though him. He then gasped as he felt his nose pop before a pleasant tingling burn spread all over his body.

Harry was shocked when the Potions Master made what he assumed was a distressed noise and he was terrified when a pale purple glow surrounded the man. As he watched the purple darkened around several areas of the man's body, primarily his right shoulder, back, lower stomach and groin, as well as his right knee and calf. But it was his left forearm that drew Harry's attention. The spell light was almost black.

Twenty minutes later Severus' eyes fluttered open and Harry blurted out, "I'm sorry. Nothing like that ever happens when Aunt Petunia kisses Dudley's booboos away."

Severus snorted and mumbled, "Of course it wouldn't. Petunia is a muggle." He stretched a bit but didn't seem inclined to get up from where Harry was cradling his head and shoulders. In fact he snuggled closer as he continued to mumble, "This is a very strange dream, Harry." He closed his eyes and sighed as he whispered, "I think I prefer the ones where I'm naked and you fuck me in bed."

Harry blinked. He was completely stunned but decided that he would have to think about that statement later.

When Severus woke the first thing he noticed was that he felt good. There were no aches or pains anywhere, which was extremely unusual. The second was Harry Potter. The boy was sleeping curled in the arm chair that was normally in the corner, but had been pulled close to his bedside. Severus frowned as he tried to remember what had happened. He vaguely remembered a dream, of the boy holding him and helping him into bed. Judging by the boy's presence at least some of it had been more than a dream.

He must have made a noise as Harry woke with a start. The boy had a look of concern as he asked, "Alright there Professor?"

Severus' eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here, Potter? What in hell happened?" He was clutching the blankets closer as when he moved he couldn't help noticing what he was, or more precisely what he wasn't, wearing.

Harry frowned. "You don't remember?" He sighed before speaking slowly, "We kind of had a fight. I…" He swallowed and looked away. "I invaded your mind to get you to show me how to do Occlumency properly." He looked like he expected the Potions Master to explode in a rage.

Severus groaned as he remembered. He brought his hand to his temple and said uncertainly, "I was bleeding."

Harry nodded and whispered, "I didn't realize that kissing it better was a real spell. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Severus snorted. "It would not have done anything if you had intended harm." He relaxed against his pillows, "However that does not explain why you are in my bed chamber nor does it explain my current state of undress."

Harry looked away. "You were really out of it. You kinda asked me to; um… **tuck** you in bed." Harry's face was glowing pink but he continued, "You seemed to want me to stay. I think you just didn't want to be alone." He shrugged. "And I didn't want to disturb the wards once you set them. They're a lot more complicated than anything I've studied."

Severus nodded as his mind raced. He knew he would never have asked to be **'tucked'** into bed. He thanked any deity that was watching or would listen that the boy had apparently misheard him. Although judging by the blush he may have done something else. Even if it was just that the boy knew he was naked. Severus could only assume he had acted inappropriately. He said, "Mister Potter, if I said or did anything that…" He had to stop because the boy's fingers were resting on his mouth.

Harry shook his head as his fingers slid from contact with the Potions Master's lips.

Severus mourned the loss even as he imagined the fingers caressing his jaw as they withdrew. Just as he opened his mouth intending to apologize further there was a knock at the door. The cadence of the knock indicated the Headmaster was giving him two minutes to open said door, before tearing the wards down and coming in anyway.

Sighing heavily Severus said. "Opening the door from this side will drop the wards. Please let the Headmaster in." This indirectly confirmed to the young man that he had been right in not leaving the evening before.

Harry stopped by the wardrobe and reached for one of the robes only to have Severus snap, "Not that one."

Smoothly shifting to the next set of robes Harry handed them to Severus and left the room. He padded silently on stocking feet through the living area to open the door.

He was shocked that it was not just the Headmaster, but Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey as well. The mediwitch gave Harry a look he couldn't define before heading in the direction of the bedroom.

Albus Dumbledore, eyes twinkling brightly said, "Ah Harry, there you are. Your friends were quite worried about you."

Harry looked down briefly before saying, "I didn't mean to worry anyone." He then raised his voice, "Professor Snape, you are about to get company in there that I don't think you want."

Madam Pomfrey turned a surprised look on the young man before reaching for the door knob only to have to step back as Severus emerged from the bedroom.

Harry couldn't help staring at the Potions Master. The soft black robes he had handed the man looked sexy as hell. Tightly clinging to Snape's chest, upper arms and hips then flowing full around his legs to drag on the floor. Not to mention the long row of tiny buttons stretching from the high mandarin collar all the way to the hem.

Pomfrey whipped out her wand and ran it over the glaring Potions Master before whirling and performing the same actions on the only student in the room.

Harry snorted. "Well, that was rather rude, don't you think? In case the rest of you are wondering, yes, I'm still a virgin." Something that wasn't going to be true for very much longer if Harry had anything to say about it.

"Now, Mister Potter, I'm sure that's not…" started Professor McGonagall.

Severus interrupted, "Bollocks Minerva, that was a spell used to identify victims of rape." His glare intensified. "And quite frankly," he sneered, "I resent the implied accusation of both Mister Potter and myself."

Poppy huffed, "Severus, you know it only detects ripping or tearing of delicate tissues." She turned to Harry. "It does not, check for virginity." She paused for a breath, "As there are no injuries I will head back to the infirmary."

"Madam Pomfrey, wait, I…" Harry looked at Severus who was scowling at him and moved closer to the man. "Professor, please? You know I did something."

Severus sighed heavily and folding one leg under himself he sank onto one end of the couch before saying, "During the course of our lesson last evening, I sustained a small abrasion." He held up his hand as Poppy moved toward him with her wand in her hand. "Mister Potter healed it with a low level charm." He let out a deep breath. "That should have been the end of it, but…" He shook his head and shot a glance at Harry before looking at Albus. Severus said, "This is Potter we are talking about. All I can say with any certainty is that I will never underestimate the power this young man wields again." He then mumbled, "Much more like his mother than I thought."

Albus just smiled and the twinkle in his eye ratcheted up from 'oh look, candy' to 'Christmas just came early and I got socks' as he seated himself on one of two arm chairs.

"I don't understand Mister Potter, what did you do?" Minerva asked as she sat in the second chair.

They were all looking at him and he played with the hem of his shirt as he mumbled, "I kinda… _kissed-it-all-better_."

Poppy outright laughed. "Is that all? Oh goodness, I thought by the way you were both acting it was something horrible. Was there a visible spell aura?"

Harry just blinked at her and Severus snarled, "Was there a glow or light of any kind? How much of me did it cover? What color was it? Anything else you might have retained in that pea sized brain of yours, Potter."

"Oh." Harry said apparently unfazed by the Potions Master's out-burst. "It was mostly light purple and it covered all of you." He looked at Poppy. "It was darker more bluish on his back, shoulder, and leg. Red on his stomach, and… black… on. his. arm." He was pointing at each area as he named it.

Severus stared at the last area the boy had pointed. He hadn't even looked at it as he had thrown on his clothing. He slowly drew up his sleeve. He didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed when he revealed the Dark Mark.

He then looked closer and frowned. There was something different, there were gold and silver glints accenting each line and curve of the Mark.

Running his hand over the Mark Severus closed his eyes and concentrated briefly on his link with the Dark Lord. He didn't concentrate hard enough to attract the mad man's attention only enough to reassure himself that his usefulness to Dumbledore was not at an end and that the link was still intact. But the link was not alone; there was a second one, not as strong maybe but there all the same. When he looked up, it was to meet the worried green eyes of Harry Potter.

The End


End file.
